Electrical device



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May 27 1924. 1,495,434

w. s. PFEIFER ELECTRICAL DEVICE Filed July 18, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. --Wn1'LEr 5.Pf'e11-ar TORNE Y.

Patented May 27, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELECTRICAL DEVICE.

Application filed July 18,

To 1. 1 whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, lVAL'rnr. S. Pruirnn, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of lVisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electrical Devices, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in electrical devices and in the present embodiment is more particularly directed to a device for operation in connection with a clock to maintain the spring thereof under substantially constant tension at all times.

In spring winding clocks it is highly desirable that the tension of the spring be maintained substantially constant in order that the clock will be accurate to a high degree. It is therefore one of the objects of my invention to provide winding means which will maintain the tension of the clock spring substantially constant at all times.

Another object of this invention is to provide a self winding clock of the class described which is electrically operated and capable of connection with any service rendered by the various utility companies as well as capable of operation by power derived from dry cells, storage batteries, or the like, where the outside service is unobt a in able.

Another object of this invention is to provide an electrically actuated clock winding device in which the circuit is closed by a clock actuated member which may be extremely delicate and which is opened by means remote from side closing means so that the arcing incidental to the breaking of an electrical circuit may be properly taken care of. i

A further object of this invention is to provide friction clutch means intermediate the electrical actuating means and the clocla spring, whereby maintenance of the spring at a substantially constant tension is assured.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an improved form of contact whereby the parts thereof will have a wiping connection to clean their contact surfaces and consequently insure the proper electrical connection at all times.

lVith the above and other'objects in View 1921. Serial N0. 485,687.

which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the herein disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment. of my invention constructed according to the best mode I have so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof. and in which:

Figure l is a semi-diagran'nnatic view illustrating the application of my invention to a clock;

Figure .2 is a view looking at the rear of the device illustrated in Figure 1, parts being broken away to more clearly illustrate structural details;

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the manner of closing the circuits of my device, and

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sew tional view taken on the plane of line -it of Figure l and illustrating the manner of attaching the stationary contacts to their supporting standard.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings in which like nu merals designate like parts throughout the several views:

The numeral .3 designates a clock which may be of any design or make, from the spring arbor of which not shown) is projected an extension 6 having freely journaled thereon a gear wheel 7 which. is drivingly connected therewith. by a friction clutch 8. The friction clutch 8 consists of. a spring 9 which urges the gear 7 in frictional engagement with a part carried by the extension and is adjustable so that the gear wheel will slip when the tension of the clock spring (not shown) reaches a predetermined limit.

Journaled in a substantially U-shapcd standard 10 is a counter shaft 11 upon which is mounted a pinion 12 which meshes with gear 7. The shaft 11 has secured thereto intermediate the arms of the standard 10 a ratchet wheel 13 adapted to be advanced at intervals, by the means now about to be described, to rotate the extension 6 and wind the clock spring (not shown) through the medium of gears 7 and 12.

Mounted adjacent the shaft 11 is a magnet coil 14 wound around one arm 15 of a substantially U-shaped core 16. Carried by the core adjacent its other arm 17 are two spaced ears or lugs 18 between which is pivotally secured one end of an armature 19, the other end of which has pivoted thereto, as at 20, one end of a ratchet pawl 21. The pawl 21 has its free end 22 shaped for engagement behind the teeth of wheel 13 and yieldably urged to engagement with the 'atchet wheel by a spring 23, one end of which is secured to the pawl near its free end and the other end of which is secured to the armature. The spring 23 is so arranged that not only does it serve to yieldably retain the pawl end 22 in engagement with the ratchet wheel 13, but normally urges the armature away from the core, movement of the armature 19 under influence of the spring 23 being limited by any suitable stop means conventionally illustrated in Figure 2 as an extension 13 on the lower end of the armature adapted to abut a pin or stop 19 carried by the core frame.

lVith the above construction it will be readily apparent that upon energization of the magnet coil 14 by the means to be hereinafter described the armature 19 will be attracted thereto and moved inwardly with a quick snap advancing the ratchet wheel 13 to a predetermined degree in the direction of the arrow in Figure 2, rotating shaft 11 and consequently gear 7 to effect a winding of the clock. The tension of the clock spring (not shown) is preferably such that upon each actuation of the winding mechanism the gear 7 will be advanced slightly beyond the limit necessary to return the clock spring (not shown) to its desired maximum as a result of which the friction clutch S will slip'during the last portion of its rotation. The ends of the core arms 15 and 17 are preferably spaced slightly inwardly of the position of the armature when the coil is energized and a felt washer or the like 24 is carried by the outer face of the coil in order to eliminate all noise.

In order to insure absolute accuracy upon the part of a clock, it is desirable that the spring tension be retained substantially constant and therefore the winding action from the medium of the above described mechanism is designed to take place at regular predetermined periods.

In Figure is illustrated a diagrammatic view of a clock in which the magnet 14 is momentarily energized at 15 minute intervals by an arrangement of circuit closures 25, 26, 25 and 26 in which a minute hand 27 or any other element of the clock structure is designed to engage the movable contacts 28 of said closures to engage said mov able contacts with the stationary contacts 29 and close the circuits to be hereinafter described.

Mounted on the shaft 11 is a switch wheel 30 having series of spaced switch lugs or contacts 31 and 32 projected laterally from opposite sides thereof adjacent its periphery, the contacts of one side being staggered with respect to the other. The wheel 30 retates between two stationary spring contacts 33 and 34 carried by the standard 10 and insulated therefrom and from each other, as at 35, which contacts are selectively engaged with the contacts 31 and 32 respectively, the spring contact 34 being disengaged from any one of its set of movable contacts 32 when the spring contact 33 is engaged with one of its set of movable contacts 31 and vice versa.

As illustrated by the diagran'm'iatic view, Figure 3, wires 36 and 37 designate the service lines or the lines leading from a storage battery, or other source of supply, (not shown) and wire 36 is common to the fixed contacts 29 and wire 37 is connected to one side of coil 14, the other side of which is electrically connected with the switch wheel 30 through a conductor 38. The movable contacts 28 of the closures 26 and 26 are electrically connected by a common wire 40 with the stationary contact 34.

The switch wheel 30 is so timed with respect to the minute hand of the clock that when either of the closures 25 or 25 are closed, the contact 33 will be in engagement with one of the contacts 31, with the contact 34 disconnected from the contacts 32 and when either of the closures 26 or 26 are closed, the contact 34 will be engaged with one of the contacts 32 and the contact 33 disconnected from the contacts 31. The outer ends of the contacts 33 and 34 are directed laterally and have secured to their outer faces suitable insulating means 41 and.

the switch wheel 30 has secured to its sides,-

intermediate the contacts 31 and 32, suitable insulating material 42, so that when the contacts 33 and 34 are disconnected from their respective movable contacts they will ride upon the insulating material 42 and be electrically disconnected from the switch wheel. 30.

The insulating material 41 serves to assure a quick break when either of the contacts 33 or 34 disengage from their respective movable contacts, as clearly illustrated the coil 1e and drawing the armature toward its core with a quick. movement advancing the ratchet wheel 18 in the manner hereinbet'ore described.

Immediately upon the ratchet wheel being advanced, the switch wheel 80 is advanced one contact and as the contact ill in engagement with the contact 33 reaches the end thereof a quick break is effected to open the circuit and the next contact 32 moved into electrical connection with the contact,-

IVith the parts in this position it will. be seen that the minute hand advances it permits closure to open and at the end of'l5 minutes closes closure 26 when the circuit is then completed through wire 40, contact 3%, switch wheel 30, wire coil 14 and then out line 87.

The usual pawl (not shown), which is employed to prevent retrograde movement of the clock arbor under action of the spring, is removed and the contacts 33 and 34 tune tion as pawls to prevent unwinding of the clock spring. In practice the stroke of the armature 19 is preferably slightly greater than the pitch of wheel 30 so that the wheel will after each step have a slight retrograde or unwindingmovement to insure absolute accuracy.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings it will be readily apparent that I have provided practical and efficient means for producing a self winding clock device which will perform its functions in a desirable manner. It will be understood that the term primary circuit in the claims designates that part of the circuit which includes the clock members actuated. closures and the main circuit includes that portion of the circuit which leads from the other side of the switch wheel actuated contacts.

hat I claim as my invention is:

1. In an electrical appliance. a spring contact, a movable contact engageable with the spring contact, and means for moving the second contact into and out of engagement with the spring contact, the movable contact having a wiping engagement with the spring contact throughout the major portion of its length whereby its surface is maintained substantially clean.

2, In an electrical appliance, an elongated spring contact, a movable contact adapted to have a wiping engagement. with the spring contact throughout the major portion of its length to close an electric circuit including said contacts, and means included in said circuit and adapted upon energization to actuate the movable contact.

In an electrical appliance, an elongated spring contact, a movable contact adapted to have a wiping engagement with the spring contact throughout the major portion of its length to close an electric circuit including said contacts, and means included in said circuit and adapted upon energize.- tion to actuate the movable contact, said contacts having a quick break due to the spring of the first named contact.

4i. In an electrical appliance, a pair of spaced contact members, a movable member, contacts carried by the movable member and adapted to be selectively in electrical engagement with the spaced contact members, and means for actuating said movable member, said contacts coact-ing to prevent retrograde movement of the movable member.

5. In an electrical appliance, a pair of spaced contact members, a disc wheel rotatably mounted adjacent said members, laterally projected contacts carried by said wheel, and electrical means for advancing the wheel to alternately electrically connect the contact members with an electrical circuit including the wheel carried contacts.

6. In an electrical appliance, a pair of spaced contact members, a disc wheel rot-ata ilymmounted between. said members. a series of contacts projected from each side of'said wheel, the contacts of one series being staggered with respect to the contacts of the other series, and electrical means for advancing the wheel to alternately electrically (ounect'the contact members with an elec trical circuit including the wheel carried contacts.

7. In an electrical appliance, a pair of contact. members, a movable member, conta .ts carried by opposite sides of said movable member and adapted to be selectively electrically connected with the contact niem hers, the contacts on each side of said movable member only engaging with the contact nien'iher of said pair on the adjacent side of the movable member, a primary circuit connected with each contact member, a main circuit common to the contacts of said movable member, means within the main circuit and adapted, upon energization, to advance the movable member one contact, and means for closing the primary circuit including the contact member of said pair in electrical connection with one of said movable member contacts whereby the main circuit, and consequently the first named means, will be energized and the movable member advanced to connect the other contact member of the pair with the next mov able member contact.

8. In a self winding clock, an arbor, a ratchet wheel connected with the arbor. a magnet coil. an armature cooperating with the magnet coil, a ratchet pawl having one end pivotally connected with the armature and its other engageable behind the teeth of the ratchet wheel, means for energizing the magnet coil to attract the armature theretoward and cause the ratchet pawl to advance the ratchet wheel and wind the arbor, said means including a circuit adapted to be closed at predetermined intervals by a clock carried member, and means independent of said clock carried member for rendering the circuit inoperative.

9. In a self winding clock, an arbor, a ratchet wheel connected with the arbor, a magnet coil, an armature cooperating with the magnet coil, a ratchet pawl having one end pivotally connected with the armature and its other engageable behind the teeth of the ratchet wheel, and means for energizing the magnet coil to attract the armature therotoward and cause the ratchetpawl to advance the ratchet wheel and wind the arher, said means including a prin'iary circuit, a ClUfl'lI actuated closure for the primary circuit and a main circuit including said coil, whereby the coil will be energized upon actuation of said closure and deenergized by means within the main circuit when said armature has advanced the ratchet wheel.

10. In an electrical appliance, a magnet coil, a core for said coil and terminating slightly inwardly of the outer face thereof, an armature co-acting withsaid coil, and a cushion member carried by said coil to absorb the noise and shock of said armature when being moved toward the coil upon energization thereof.

11. In a clock winding device, the combination with a spring arbor capable of rotation in either direction, of means connected therewith for winding said spring arbor and comprising an electric magnet coil, an armature coacting therewith, and means for connecting the coil with an electrical circuit and including a switch wheel having laterally projected contacts and a spring contact engageable with said wheel. contacts, said contact coacting to prevent retrograde movement of the spring arbor.

12. In a device of the class described, the combination with the spring of a clock; of

electrical means connected therewith for winding the same, an electric circuit including said means, a clock carried means for closing said circuit to cause the actuation of the electrical means to wind the clock, and means independent of the clock carried means for opening the circuit when the clock spring has been wound a predetermined degree, whereby said clock carried means may be constructed substantially light due to the opening of the circuit occurring at said independent means.

13. 111 a device of the class described, the combination with the spring of a clock, of electrical means connected therewith for winding the same, an electric circuit includ: ing said means. plurality of clock circuit closures adapted for selective operation to close the circuit and cause the actuation of the electrical means for winding the clock, and a plurality of circuit openers independent of the circuit closures and adapted for selective operation to render the circuit inoperative, after the closing of the circuit by one of the circuit closures and the clock spring has been wound a predetermined degree, whereby said clock carried circuit closures may be constructed substantially light due to the opening of the circuit occurring at the circuit openers.

14%. In a device of the class described, the combination with the spring of a clock, of electrical intermittently actuated means for winding the clocl; spring, said means tending to overwind the spring each actuation, and a slipping clutch connection between said actuating means and clock spring, whereby overwinding the spring is prevented and in the event the electrical power should be disconnected for a period of time, the spring will be rewound to its full tension when the power is again continued.

In testimonv whereof. I aflix my signature.

"WALTER s. PFEIF'ER. 

